Women and Cars

[Robin Boyar <rboyar@xxxxxxxxxx>]

>That a human being, especially a USAian teenage female in 1999, should
find
>a manual transmission to be an insurmountable and weird "mistake" fills
me
>with despair. 

American society has discouraged girls from pursuing technical related
activities such as computers or auto mechanics.  In addition, working on
cars is traditionally a father/son activity.  As a result of this lack
of exposure, I think that girls and women are often uninterested and/or
intimidated by cars.  As such, automobiles are often seen as utilitarian
objects.

For example,  I can't think of a woman that I know that can change her
oil (even those who have technical degrees).  And although most of my
female friends think my Duetto is cute, they are thoroughly unimpressed
when I point out other Alfas such as the GTV6, Sports Sedan or Milano.
(Sorry guys- no babe magnets there.)  Very few of them are passionate
about the car they drive.

Although I have wanted a Spider since I was 16, it was only after I
started helping a friend work on his GTV,  and he subsequently let me
drive the car, that I began to really appreciate and understand Alfas.
Even so, the first few weeks of owning my Duetto were painful- grinding
gears, weird idiosyncrasies, weekly trips to the mechanic, etc.
Fortunately, I had some wonderful support.  And as I learn, my love of
driving is no longer a visceral experience- it's an understanding of the
relationship between myself and the machine.   Pretty cool and
empowering.  

And so, I think the key to getting women to drive stick or change their
oil or drive an Alfa is lots of exposure and education.  Generally
speaking, it's just not something that we were culturally encouraged to
do.  But, in time, beauty (and love) can be found within- especially
beneath the hulk of an aging Alfa or two...

Robin

'67 Duetto (recently called a "beast" by a date- not the way to my
heart)
'92 Saab 900 

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